1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium driving apparatus in which a recording medium of a cartridge (hard case) having a disc therein is pulled to a position where the recording medium is ready to be driven and the recording medium is ejected after use and, more particularly, to a recording medium driving apparatus in which switching means for pulling and ejecting the recording medium is compact and features a high functionality.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a Mini Disc M as one example of the recording medium.
In the Mini disc M, a magneto-optical recording disc is accommodated in a hard case cartridge C having a generally square shape in plan view. The cartridge C has on its underside an aperture exposing a disc center hole (clamp hole). A shutter S is slidably supported on the right-hand side edge portion of the cartridge C with respect to the direction of insertion of the cartridge C (direction of X1), and when the shutter S is slid in a direction of X2, a window formed in the cartridge is seen. In a reproduction only Mini Disc M, a window appears on only the underside of the cartridge C, and an optical head faces the disc inside through the window.
In a recordable Mini Disc M, windows appear on both top and bottom sides of the cartridge C when the shutter S is slid, exposing the disc inside through the top and bottom windows. During a recording operation, an optical head faces the bottom surface of the disc through the bottom window of the cartridge C and a magnetic head Mm contacts the top surface of the disc through the top window of the cartridge C.
In a driving apparatus (disc device) for driving the Mini Disc M, a holder into which the Mini Disc is inserted is arranged, and a pull member 81 is arranged on one side of the holder as shown in FIG. 15. A pulling pawl 82 is integrally formed with the pull member 81. When the cartridge C is inserted into the holder in the X1 direction, an insertion forward edge C2 of the cartridge C touches an inclined face 82a of the pulling pawl 82, pivoting the pull member 81 in a direction of (iii), and when the cartridge C is further inserted in the X1 direction, the pulling pawl 82 is received within and engaged with a locking notch C1 on one side of the cartridge C under the urging of a spring or the like. By the driving force of the pull member 81 in the X1 direction, the cartridge C in the holder is pulled in the X1 direction.
At the moment the cartridge C is fully pulled into the holder, the disc in the cartridge C is clamped onto a clamp table in a disc driving section.
In the disc device into which the cartridge C such as the Mini Disc M shown in FIG. 15 is inserted, the shutter S is opened before the cartridge C is loaded onto the clamp table of the driving section, and thus the travel of the cartridge C in its insertion process is long. During a reproduction operation, a reproduction is started by driving the optical head at the moment the loading of the cartridge C is inserted and loaded by the pull member 81, while during a recording, a switching operation is still required to cause the magnetic head to touch the disc through the window of the cartridge C after the loading of the cartridge C is completed. Since the pulling operation of the cartridge and the touching operation of the magnetic head with the disc are conventionally performed by separate driving sources, the disc device requires two respective driving sources therewithin, thereby rendering itself complicated.
It is contemplated that a common motor is shared to perform a series of steps covering the pulling operation of the cartridge C by the pull member 81 and a subsequent position control operation of the magnetic head. With such a series of steps implemented, however, the magnetic head needs has to be controlled after the cartridge C is pulled in by the pull member 81, and thus, a switching lever cooperating with the insertion member 81 needs a drive section for the pull member 81, while a control section or a drive section for controlling the magnetic head is also required, and such an arrangement results in a long switching lever and a long overall stroke of travel of the switching lever. As a result, the long switching lever and its long stroke of travel needs an increased dimension of the apparatus, and the apparatus becomes bulky. Conversely, to perform the series of steps for the insertion of the cartridge C and control of the magnetic head in a compact apparatus, the travel of the insertion of the cartridge C should be shortened and narrowed, respectively. In such an arrangement, the cartridge C has to be inserted deep into the holder to such an extent that operational inconveniences result.